Replaced in Time
by BK27
Summary: When memories are replaced and their world is made up for them, will Asuna, Kirito, and their children be able to reunite again?
1. Chapter 1

**Replaced in Time**

Aincrad is a large island nation on the planet of Sao. This is not a virtual world, but is similar to our world of the past and future.

**Year 1 - August**

Her heart skipped a beat as the last several years played back in her mind like it was all a dream. Asuna looked around at the new house with a million images going through her mind. Where to place everything, how to paint the walls, what the kids' rooms would look like. It was almost overwhelming. A hand rested on her shoulder and she looked behind her with a smile to see her husband, Kazuto Kirigaya, known to everyone as Kirito smiling down on her. She put her hand over his and leaned in.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it. I want the babies to be born now so we can finally make it our home."

Their house was in a residential neighborhood in the city. The cobblestone street and narrow buildings made it look like an old European town from this world, but you could still see technology peek in with the hovering carts and holograms seen throughout the town. Asuna was having twins, a boy and a girl.

**October**

Asuna was cleaning the house one cool morning when she fell over in pain. She gasped for air and pulled herself up with help from a nearby chair. As she tried to regain composure, she realized that she was having contractions. Kirito had left some time ago to get groceries, so she figured he'd be back soon. Barely able to move, Asuna got some belongings together and headed for the door. Kirito had taken the hovercart, so she was going to go next door and hope the new neighbors will take her to the clinic. As she fumbled to the door, it opened slowly. Kirito walked in to find Asuna slowly moving hunched over.

"Asuna!"

"Kirito...i..it's time."

Kirito threw the groceries on the counter and grabbed her bag.

"Wait, you should put the groceries away so they don't spoil. I'll be ok."

With his wide eyed determined look, Kirito took the entire bag and shoved it into the fridge, taking some effort to get it to close. He then ran out the door and brought the hovercart over to the front door. Asuna climbed in slowly and reminded Kirito to lock the door. He ran to the door and back to the cart in a fraction of a second and sped off towards the clinic. Getting there took half the time as Kirito decided to steer the cart straight up so they were above the houses. This route was only for emergencies, so Asuna didn't say anything. Kirito landed softly and ran inside.

"Where's the doctor?!" He said to a startled nurse.

"He's here."

"Please get him. My wife's in labor!"

"Asuna Kirigaya right?"

"Yes!"

"I'll tell the doctor she's here, please bring her in." Asuna had gotten out of the cart and was already inside.

"Asuna!"

"It's alright. I can make ii...ah!"

Another contraction came and she hunched over. Kirito found a wheelchair and put her in it. By this time, the nurse came back and led them to the delivery room. Asuna changed and got up on the bed. The doctor came by and told them the babies were almost ready to come out already. Asuna was happy that she didn't have to be in labor long. A few minutes later, Asuna was pushing with all her might with Kirito holding her hand. With one final push, the first baby, the boy arrived. Asuna's and Kirito's eyes widened as the doctor held up the first healthy looking child. He then gave him to the nurse and Asuna pushed more and the girl arrived, also looking healthy. With a sigh of relief and exhaustion, Asuna fell back on her pillow and smiled up at Kirito. He sat down on the chair next to her bed and took her hand with both hands.

"You did it, it's alright now."

"Mmhmm" was all she could get out. Moments later, the nurse came back with two little bundles. She gave them both to Asuna and she instantly fell in love. Kirito and Asuna stayed close, exchanging the babies and sharing in their first night as a family.

**November**

Life had become normal with Asuna staying home with the kids while Kirito went on missions to get rid of the demons in the area. Asuna was reading a book with the twins sleeping nearby, feeling very relaxed and content. There was a knock on the door. Asuna went to the door and opened. it. At the door was the King, King Sugou. Asuna gasped and bowed quickly.

"Your highness! What can I do for you?"

"Good morning my dear Asuna. You look as radiant as ever. Pardon the unexpected intrusion, but I just could not hold back any longer. You see my dear, I've been watching you in secret for some time now and have decided that you would make the perfect candidate for my little...uh...arrangement." Sugou paused and stepped closer, causing Asuna to step back. "I'd like for you to be my queen and for me to adopt your kids as my own."

The King had met her some time ago while he was on a PR visit to the town. He had approached her and offered to invite her to a ball he was having later in the week. Kirito had said to go and that it would be a great way to unwind after just learning of her pregnancy. Reluctantly, she had agreed and did have a nice time, but she could feel the King's gaze no matter where she was. It made her afraid to even greet the King. Ever since that night, she had always been more aware of where the King was so she could be away from his cold eyes.

Asuna stepped back again and could only shake her head.

"I...I can't your highness. I'm sorry. I love my husband and we love our children. There is no way I could do this. I'm sorry."

Sugou's jagged smile turned into a frown.

"That's too bad. I wanted this to be easy, but you left me with no choice. Guards! Seize them!"

Asuna tried to close the door, but was outnumbered. She ran for her kids, but was too late. The guards grabbed her and lifted up the twins. Both had began to cry and Asuna was screaming. A small crowd had gathered and was watching the events unfold. Someone yelled out that Asuna didn't do anything and was hit by one of the guards. Asuna was screaming for help, but no one was helping. No one stepped up for fear of being killed. As she was carried off, her screams became softer and the crowd dispersed. Their neighbors looked in the house after everyone had left and remembered that Kirito had left on a mission and would be back soon. The husband ran out to find someone to contact Kirito and let him know his wife and kids were kidnapped. Kirito returned a short time later. He opened the door and saw the state of the room.

"Asuna?! Asuna?!"

Kirito ran through the house to find no one home. The neighbor heard the screams and ran over. She let herself in and Kirito turned around quickly.

"Oh Kirito-kun it's horrible! My husband went out looking for you. The King took Asuna and the kids."

"What?! Why?"

"I overheard him say that he wanted to make him his queen. She refused and then the guards took her!"

"Thank you" is all Kirito got out. He ran to his weapon rack and grabbed everything he could carry. He still had on his black trench coat and put his swords on his back. As he ran past his neighbor, she let out a, "good luck" and he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Kirito took the hovercart as far as he could. He then hid the cart and ran as fast as he could to the castle. Some guards were casually chatting until they saw a black mass come at them at amazing speed. Kirito cut them down and was able quite easily to get through the front gates. A number of guards descended on him, and he was surrounded. He took out his other sword and began his double wield technique. He was able to get through several fairly unharmed and started running for the inner courtyard. As he approached the area, he saw someone standing in the middle of it. It was the King.

"SUGOU!" Kirito yelled as he ran straight for him. Armored guards stepped in and were able to get him to the ground. "Sugou, you bastard!"

"Sorry Kirigaya, this is the end of the line for you. Your family will soon be my family and they will live happily here at the castle. You don't want your wife to be the most important person in the kingdom?"

Slowly getting up, he met Sugou's gaze.

"She already is."

"Yes, to you. You see, I can't have children, so it only seemed logical to use my power to find the perfect match...and I have."

Kirito gritted his teeth and got the rest of the way up. He went to punch Sugou, but was stopped again.

"You can't do this! Everyone will know."

"Yes, soon they will, but I have plans so that Asuna will submit to me fully. You see Kirigaya, I'm going to erase both of your memories."

Kirito's eyes widened.

"What?"

"It's simple really. I wipe both of your memories. Leave yours with some bizarre story about how you were protecting Asuna so she could have a birth away from prying eyes and I'll fill Asuna's mind with the most beautiful story about our love."

"I will never forget Asuna!"

"Oh you will. Guards, take him to the room."

Kirito was then hit in the head and knocked out. He awoke slowly to being strapped onto a table. He was trying to figure out what was going on and trying to break free from his shackles. Just then, a familiar voice was heard, "Kirito..." Kirito looked over with wide eyes and saw Asuna's smiling face to his left on another table. She was also strapped down.

"Asuna!"

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop them. They haven't told me anything about what this is. What's happening?"

With a very low and clear voice, Kirito tried to speak.

"They're going to replace our memories. Sugou is going to make you believe you are his wife and OUR children are his."

Asuna's shocked gasp tore through Kirito's ears.

"Oh no. What can we do?" Kirito looked around.

"We have to get these off. If we can get one hand free, we should be able to get the rest off and escape."

"I'm scared. I don't want to lose my memories."

"I know. We'll get through this. I promise." Asuna smiled and Kirito gave a small smile back. The door flew open the Sugou came in with guards and men in lab coats.

"Let's get this done fast so I don't have to deal with this anymore."

"Sugou! I'm going to kill you! Don't you dare take away my family!" Sugou leaned over and smirked evilly at Kirito. He whispered into Kirito's ear,

"Watch me."

Just then, the machines were turned on and helmets were put on their heads. They both trashed and screamed each others' names in a fleeting attempt to escape. As Asuna was trashing she found a tube right under her right hand under the table. With all her might she grabbed at it, trying to tear, squeeze, pinch at it. Anything to keep her memories. With one final call out to Kirito she smiled at him and he smiled at her. Then it all went black.

Asuna awoke in a bed. She had quite the headache, but was able to sit up. As she rubbed her head, she had a million thoughts run through her head. All the fake memories that Sugou had implanted came in. She fell back onto the bed and passed out for a few minutes. She awoke again and this time,she felt much better. She got up slowly and walked into the hallway. She was greeted by several servants and she greeted them. She walked into the throne room and found Sugou with the two kids sleeping in cribs near the throne.

"Good morning my dear." Sugou said with the most satisfied tone ever.

"Good morning."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, but I had the weirdest dream. I ended up falling back asleep after it."

"Well you're here now...with ME"

"Yes, we are all here together, as a family."

"Happy Anniversary my dear. May we have many more to come."

"Happy Anniversary."


	3. Chapter 3

**Year 9 - May**

Asuna breathed heavily as she walked up the tall hill. She's drenched in rain and mud. Her hands are frozen and she can barely see with the rainy night. Behind her, she can hear yelling and can see lights traveling. "I have to keep moving". She said aloud. Just then, a little voice broke her concentration.

"Mama...I'm cold."

"I know sweetie, but we cannot be at the castle anymore. That's not where we were from. The king is not your father. Your father is somewhere on this island. We must find him."

Mai just whimpered as she kept holding onto her mother's hand. Asuna's grabbing of the tube under her table on the memory altering machine had in fact caused a glitch and she was able to regain her memories, though it came so suddenly in the middle of the night that she almost wanted to act like she remembered nothing until she could think of a plan. She woke her daughter up first and was able to get her to change into warm clothes. They then moved slowly to her son Kenji's room. When Asuna told him that the King had tricked her into thinking they were married and that his father and life were outside the castle, Kenji still refused to go.

"I like it here mother and I'm not leaving. Why would I leave such a perfect life for an unknown one?"

"Because this is not your life. It's fake. It's a complete lie. The King used us to get what he wanted and now we are leaving to return to our old life."

"I'm not going. The King is the only father I know and this is the only life I know. To think you want me to be without servants, or maids, or afternoon tea is just silly. You two can leave, but I'm staying here."

Nothing Asuna said would change his mind. She figured Sugou wouldn't have Kenji killed because he favored him to Mai for the heir. It hurt Asuna so much to leave her son behind, but she needed to escape and she thought she could always come back for him later. She thought of forcing him out, but he would cause such a stir that she would be found out. With promises to be back, Asuna and Mai left into the night.

Asuna finally arrived at the top of the hill. Through the clouds, the moon finally showed through. The moon showed a wide road and various farms scattered about. She looked around and felt peaceful even in such a state. She looked up the road a little further and saw a quaint house with a large tree nearby standing alone. She squinted and saw that it looked like someone was under it.

"What's someone doing under a tree so late at night?" She thought to herself. She then gasped and held Mai's hand tighter.

"What's wrong Mama?"

"Come on."

Asuna walked quickly towards the tree and was able to make out that it was a man dressed in black sleeping on his back. Asuna started to tear up and Mai noticed her newly emotional state. "Mama?" Asuna let go of Mai's hand and looked down. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Kirito. She burst into tears and fell to her knees. The moon came out behind a cloud and illuminated his face. Asuna lifted her hand and put it on the man's face. She cleared away her tears and looked up at Mai.

"This is your father Mai."

"Eh?"

"It's him, I'm sure of it."

Asuna laid down next to the man and kissed his cheek. Asuna then whispered,

"I'm here."

She got up with a smile, but saw he was still in a deep sleep. She pushed his shoulder and tried harder to wake him up.

"Kirito, hey Kirito. Wake up." He groaned and shifted a bit.

"Wake up!"

Within a fraction of a second, the man had sat up, grabbed his sword, and put it right up to Asuna's throat. Asuna gasped and Mai made a small shriek.

"What do you want?"

"A...are you Kazuto Kirigaya?" The man narrowed his eyes and pushed the blade closer to her neck.

"Who's asking?"

"It's me Kirito, it's Asuna."

Kirito blinked and was able to recognize the disheveled woman.

"The Queen right? I did some babysitting for you years ago while that damn husband of yours felt you needed a private birth. As soon as the job was done, he kicked me to the curb like I was trash. After years of loyal service as a Knight. Your husband is the lowest of the low and I'll see to it that he gets a swift and brutal punishment for what he did."

Asuna only smiled. She at least took comfort in that they had a common enemy. She then filled with emotion as the reality of the situation emerged.

"Could you please take that sword away from my neck?"

"Nah, I think I'll leave it there. You two are coming with me. You get to be my hostages."

Asuna wanted so bad to cry, but she knew if she threw her arms around Kirito that he'd probably stab her. She simply nodded. Just then Mai finally spoke up.

"Please stop fighting with Mama...P..Papa." Asuna's eyes got large and she simply breathed out a "no".

"Papa? Psh yeah right kid. I don't have any chance of being your father. I never had that ability."

"But you are! You're Kazuto Kirigaya right?! You're a legend in demon fighting and I recognize your sword from what the Knights tell us...and Mama told me you had your memories repl.."

"Mai stop it!" Mai stopped talking and looked down. "I'm sorry about that. Please forgive her. We've had a long night. We will come with you."

"Alright, now get up."

Asuna and Kirito got up and started walking toward the cliffs. They could hear many footsteps and within a few moments, were surrounded by the guards.

"You need to come with us your majesty."

Kirito took his sword and returned it to Asuna's throat. Every guard got out their weapon and were aiming it at Kirito. Sugou emerged behind the guards and the blade went closer to Asuna again, causing her to gasp. Sugou recognized Kirito and took in what he saw before him. He let out an evil laughter, loving that he would've never imagined this scene to ever happen.

"Sugou!" The same tone as so long ago played again in his voice and Asuna could feel the tightness in her chest and her eyes begin to tear up.

"Would you mind telling me what's going on my queen?"

"I am not your queen! I never was. My original memories returned Sugou. I remember everything."

Sugou let out a sigh.

"Well then, it must really hurt to be in the situation you're currently in, isn't it?"

The lump in Asuna's throat was huge. She knew this must've been a great feeling for Sugou. She swallowed as best she could and looked right at Sugou.

"Just let me be. I don't want to go back with you."

"..and what...you're going to go live happily ever after with the man who currently has a sword to your throat? Wake up Asuna! I created this life because I wanted you and the kids to be happy. Isn't that reason enough to look past my ways of achieving those goals?"

"Excuse me." Kirito finally chimed in. "You two can complain about your marriage later. Right now I have the queen knocking on death's door. You either give in to my demands or her head is gone."

The king glanced over at Kirito with disgust.

"My my, as lively as ever I see Kirigaya-kun. Very well. What are your demands?"

"That you go walk off that cliff." Sugou only smirked and gave another horrible laugh.

"That's lovely. No, I don't think I'm going to be doing that. I think I'm going to have you killed right here. Guards, take him down, but keep the queen and princess alive."

The guards came in swiftly and started attacking Kirito's arm so he could drop the sword. He was hit several times and was able to get a little blood drawn from Asuna before she escaped and fell into Mai's arms. Kirito was able to take a few guards down before he fled up the road towards the cliffs. Asuna watched as his silhouette faded into the shadows, being chased by the guards. Sugou looked down on Asuna.

"So your memories came back huh? That damn scientist must've had bad configuring. Too many people have seen this little incident tonight. I'm sure you won't easily come back to the castle, so why don't we make a deal?"

Asuna looked up in suspicion.

"What kind of deal?"

"Well, you and Mai stay here in this lovely area while Kenji and I stay in the castle. I'll have my heir and you have your freedom to spend the rest of your life trying to convince Kirigaya-kun who you are. I'll make up some story about how the marriage wasn't working, but that everyone should treat you as a villager and not as a queen."

Asuna felt relief for a moment, but quickly came back to reality.

"You're agreeing to this too easily. What's the catch?"

Sugou walked around Asuna, his piercing eyes finally meeting hers.

"To be honest, I've grown tired of you Asuna. I have my heir, so I don't really need you anymore."

Asuna felt saddened. She had spent many more years with this horrible man than she ever had with Kirito. Knowing she would never have the luxurious life she lived brought her to a sudden calm and she ran with it.

"Alright Sugou, you have a deal...but one day Kirito is going to take you down for what you've done and I will get back my son!"

Sugou leaned in closer to Asuna and spoke softly into her ear.

"I'd like to see him try." He turned around and started walking back. "I'll give you some money later to buy a place to live. Call it my final gift to you to show my gratitude for giving me an heir. So long Asuna."

Asuna and Mai held each other and watched as everyone walked out of sight. Asuna laid down on the ground in the same spot as Kirito just was.

"Tomorrow we'll go look for a place to live, let's just get some sleep now."

Mai nodded. They fell asleep holding each other under that large tree. The tree where she finally was able to see her beloved husband once again. As Asuna drifted off to sleep, she smiled, hopeful that the days ahead will bring her closer to him. The next day, she awoke to several villagers around her whispering amongst each other. Finally one of them came closer.

"Excuse me your majesty...I mean Miss Yukki. Are you alright? "

"Yes, we're fine...did you hear about what happened?"

"Yes, we all heard that you are now a simple villager. It must be very hard for you. We were able to clean out the house right over there for you two, so you can sleep somewhere other than under a tree."

"Thank you."

"Oh it's no problem. We can take you on a tour and get you acquainted with this area. We do have some fine schools miss Mai can attend as well. Once you're ready to look around, let one of us know."

"Alright. Thank you. I will." Asuna and Mai waved at the villagers as they walked away. They were now starting the beginning of their new life.


	4. Chapter 4

**Year 20 -October**

We find ourselves in a time when Mai is now a young adult and her and Asuna have a business selling produce from their garden and clothing that they make. Their life has been peaceful these last few years. Both ladies had even began training for demon hunting so that they could go on missions in the area to help with the demon population. Today, Asuna was at home and was finishing a garment for a client. When she was done, she went into the bedroom to get a sweater and looked around. Asuna sat on the edge of her bed and opened the nightstand drawer. She pushed the contents aside and lifted the bottom to expose a secret compartment. Inside, there was a single picture facing down. Slowly she grabbed the picture and turned it over. There in the picture was a beautiful family. They looked so happy, so at peace with the world. The two babies were wrapped in matching blankets. Holding one was a beaming Asuna. Next to her, with one arm wrapped around her was a dark haired man dressed in black. His smile made Asuna give a slight smile, followed quickly by tears. One tear fell on the photo and she quickly wiped it off. Staring at the photo, she was startled by a voice coming from the next room.

"Mom, are you in there?"

Quickly Asuna put the photo back in the drawer and closed it quickly as she replied, "yes, come in".

The door opened and a dark haired woman entered.

"You look like you were crying. Are you alright Mom?"

"Yes, of course Mai. I was just thinking about something from long ago."

"Was it about Dad?"

Asuna's eyes widened and she looked up at her daughter.

"That's what I'm here to talk to you about. I'm going on a journey. A journey to find Dad."

"What?!"

"Now that I'm an adult, I can freely travel the countryside, and as soon as I find him, I'll bring him home."

Asuna's hands began to shake. "Mai, you know he wouldn't remember us. How would you convince him to even come here?"

"I don't know, but I have to try! I know over the years you've tried to replace him with Hiro, but he was not my father. Though he was still a very nice man, he's dead now, and you need someone to stay by your side once I've left." Mai's fists clenched and she spoke deeper, "...and I have to make King Sugou pay for what he did." Asuna stood up quickly.

"Mai, no! Nothing you do will ever bring your father's memories back."

"Then what about Kenji Mom? We should just leave him to be used by the King?"

"Your brother wants to stay in the castle. You know that. He made that very clear the last time we saw him. Do not do this for some revenge. I can't lose you to Sugou as well." Mai gritted her teeth and sat down on the bed. Asuna sat back down and put an arm around her. "I know how you feel, but I'm fine. Don't worry so much about me."

"I still remember his face mom. His face in the moonlight and your face when you laid down next to him. I will never forget that moment when everything was fine again."

Asuna looked down at the floor, remembering the few moments of that night that seemed really did feel like everything was going to be alright. Asuna rested her hand on Mai's.

"You can't go on a trip. There are too many dangers out there, and your skills with the sword are not the best right now. You'd surely get killed."

"I'll be fine Mom. I found out Dad stays just over that cliff. I still talk with some people from the Knights and they always hear that he's in East Aincrad."Asuna wondered why she hadn't seen him on her trips to East Aincrad. "I guess he stays in the shadows though so no one from the Knights would find him."

"How do the Knights know he's there if no one's ever seen him?"

"The villagers mostly. When the Knights aren't in town, Kirito..I mean Dad goes around the town looking for work. I'll leave tomorrow morning and should be back by the next day. Please Mom, you have to trust me that I can bring him back."

Asuna sighed. Mai inherited her determination from her father. Once her mind was made up, that was it.

"You're an adult now, so you can do whatever you want, but I'll still worry about you. If you just want to see him again, I can understand that, but he still may want to take you hostage and he definitely won't come back here."

Mai stood up quickly.

"What's wrong with you Mom?! Where's your determination? You are so close to living the life you've always wanted, and you just make excuses why it'll never happen! You need to put your trust in me, and in him that one day, we will be together. Even if we have to start at the beginning." Asuna smiled up at her daughter..

"You're right. We have to at least try. I'll make sure the hovercart is ready tomorrow."

"Great!" Mai said with a satisfied smile and gave Asuna a big hug.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, Mai left and headed out towards East Aincrad. The trip on hovercart took about an hour and she made it into town with only a little group of demons causing a block in the road. She got out and was able to take them down easily before returning to the cart and heading to East Aincrad. Once in town, she parked the cart in one of the rental garages and headed for the nearest tavern. The Knights were not in town today, so it would be much easier to find Kirito. She arrived at the tavern and sat down at the bar. An older man walked up to her.

"What can I get for you?"

"I'll have some tea."

"Comin' right up."

Mai looked around and saw that there were a few people in the tavern. None of them looked like Kirito. The bartender returned with the tea and Mai gave him the money.

"Could you tell me if there's a man named Kazuto Kirigaya that comes around here? "

"Kirigaya? Sure, he comes in and bartends every once in a while. Why'd you ask?"

Mai took a moment to think of an excuse.

"My mom and I make clothes and we were looking for someone to work really part time and whenever they can. I hear he has really sporadic times that he's available. He sounds like just the man for the job."

The bartender gave a chuckle and downed a shot before replying.

"Yeah, he usually hides when the Knights come in. I personally don't see why he doesn't just take them all down. I know he could. He should be over on the east side of town right now. If he's not working for me, he works as a blacksmith. I don't know how he could wear that black trench even in the sweltering heat of the shop. He must have some kind of screw loose."

Mai smiled and asked for directions. As she walked out of the tavern, the rain began to fall. She was a little upset, but nothing was going to stop her. While driving toward East Aincrad, she thought of a genius idea to convince Kirito that he was her father. She would have a doctor run a DNA test. The tests in the kingdom were fast and could be done by a simple process at the doctor's office. She knew this would give her the proof she needed to get Kirito to believe her story. Mai found the blacksmith shop and looked inside. No one looked to be in, so she decided to wait in the alley across from the shop so she could watch for Kirito. She sat down on an area where there was a tiny overhang that let her stay dry, though she was already pretty soaked. She watched for a few good minutes before someone behind her startled her.

"Hey little lady, whatcha doin'?"

Mai looked around to a menacing face. Her hand went to her sword.

"I'm waiting for someone."

"Is that so? Well, why don't you come with me and we can have some fun while you wait."

Mai got up.

"No thank you." She started walking away, but was stopped when the man grabbed her wrist.

"I don't think so."

Mai took out her sword and swung it towards the man. He quickly blocked it with his own and they fought for a few seconds before Mai's hands slipped and her sword was knocked out of her hands. The man kicked her and she fell to the ground Panicked and barely able to move, she went searching for her sword while on her hands and knees, slowly sinking deeper into the mud. Just then, she felt something like a coat go over her head, leaving her in darkness. She could hear the man groan in pain, followed by a thump. The wind started to blow through the alley and Mai peeked out through the jacket and saw an incredible sight. In front of her with his back to her was a man dressed in black. His shirt went up for a moment in the wind and she could make out a tattoo on his back. It looked like one of the demon luring tattoos she had seen. She then got a knot in her stomach and put the coat back down just in time for it to be taken off. The man put on his trench and looked back at the man now motionless on the ground.

"The demons take human form now."


	6. Chapter 6

Mai looked up at a face that looked very familiar. It had aged, his hair was longer and tied back and he had a bit of facial hair, but it was definitely who she had come to see, her father.

"Are you alright?"

He reached out and grabbed her hand, helping her up. As she stood up completely, she quickly put her arms around him and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you." Mai said, muffled through the fabric of the trench.

"Hey, no problem. I've been watching that guy for a while. Now I can get the bounty, so thank you for attracting him here."

Mai let go and picked up her sword.

"You look like a wreck. I think my boss has some extra clothes at my work. I'm sure she would lend them to you while these get washed.

"Tt...thank you."

"What's your name?"

"Mai, Mai Yukki."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kazuto Kirigaya, but everyone calls me Kirito"

Mai's heart jumped at the confirmation and she tried to regain composure.

"N..nice to meet you." Kirito noticed the nervousness, but shrugged it off and motioned to have her follow him.

They headed to the blacksmith shop and went to the back where the blacksmith, Lisbeth lived. Kirito didn't need to explain anything. Once Lisbeth saw Mai's state, she immediately offered her to stay while her clothes were washed. Mai got dressed in the extra clothes and her dirty clothes went to be washed. Lisbeth offered to clean the sword as well. Mai was very happy that things were working out so well. The rain let up and the sun once again shined. Mai and Kirito had gone to the porch and had some tea while they made small talk. Mai's nervousness grew and eventually Kirito noticed.

"Is something the matter Mai?"

"No, well you see, we've met before. Many years ago I was known as Princess Mai."

"Oh that's right. I thought you looked familiar."

"You're not going to kidnap me are you?"

Kirito looked puzzled for a moment, then let out a good laugh.

"No no. I decided that this was my own battle and I didn't want to get anyone else involved. Sorry about back then. In the years after I was fired from the Knights, I had nothing to do except think about how to get back at the King. I'm still going to kill your father though one day."

Mai gulped. This was her chance.

"I have a secret that I want to tell you. The King is not my father."

"Really? That is quite a secret. I didn't see that coming."

"Are you ready for another shocker?"

"Sure, why not."

Mai looked directly into Kirito's eyes with as much determination and self-confidence that she could muster.

"You are my father."

There was only silence as Mai probably thought that Kirito was thinking a million thoughts at that moment.

"You and my mom were married when you were still teens and lived in the southern part of Aincrad. The King took a liking to Mom and had a plot laid out to kidnap her, myself, and my brother and replace her memories with fabricated ones. He also had plans to replace your memories with being a Knight and being assigned to guard my mom while she gave birth to my brother and I. He succeeded in those plans. Those memories you have are all fake. You were in that hospital when we were born but you were holding my mom's hand and sharing in the moment of becoming a new parent."

Kirito just sat there with his mouth slightly open, completely in shock. He let out a few soft chuckles and whispered that it can't be true.

"I know you probably don't believe me, so I wanted to offer something to you. Proof. Would you come with me to the doctor and take a DNA sample? If it comes back positive then you'll know that I was telling the truth. If it comes back negative...you can kill me on the spot."

Kirito leaned over and put his head in his hands. He stayed like that for a few moments.

"What do you have to lose? It's just a simple test. If you're worried about confidentiality I know of a doctor in North Aincrad that will do everything in secret. Also, Mom and I run a business and have an extra room, so if anything, you can at least get a job and a room to sleep in for more than a few nights." Kirito slowly brought his head up and spoke softly.

"This is a lot to take in. I don't believe you, but your story matches with the one told by Queen Asuna years ago. I remember, they were talking about how she remembered and how she wasn't the Queen. It sounded weird to me."

"Yes, my mom regained her memories. I guess she tampered with a component on the machine and it must have made the procedure not as effective. Would you please come with me as soon as my clothes are ready?"

"I..I will."

Mai got a huge smile on her face. "Great!"

"If the test comes back negative, can I still keep the job? I'm getting tired of moving around and hiding all the time."

"Of course you can. Though I doubt my mom would make a mistake. You were asleep at the time, but when she saw you sleeping under that tree, she reacted in such a way that there was no denying that you were someone very important to her."

Kirito looked down and held his cup tighter.

"I really hope you're right Mai. Though just thinking about the whole situation gets me so angry I could run to the castle right now and put a sword right through the King's head."

"I'll help!"

Mai gave a devious smile at Kirito. He smiled back slightly and then more confidently.

"I must admit I didn't think it would be this easy. I was expecting you to be the guy I saw back then and just simply try to kill me."

"I've grown a lot over the years. I don't need anymore blood on my hands. I've also had a lot of dreams about your mother. " Mai figited. "I always thought she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. When I was holding a sword to her throat I just wanted to freeze the moment so that I could hold her a little longer."

"That's pretty messed up."

"I know..." They both laughed.


	7. Chapter 7

It was early afternoon now. Kirito had packed up his belongings, and they headed out of East Aincrad and towards North Aincrad. Mai messaged ahead to the doctor that she was bringing someone in to be tested. The doctor agreed and said to come right away. On the trip back, Mai talked about her life together with Asuna. She tried to give as many important details as possible. Kirito just sat back, the wind going through his hair and the sun shining brightly. He deep down was really hoping that all of this was true. He had made a resolution to take any opportunity that comes his way. They arrived in town and the cart slowed to head towards the clinic. Mai pointed to a small house.

"Up there on that hill with that big tree, that's our house. Maybe you can take more naps under the tree now."

"Yeah."

They arrived at the clinic and were greeted by the doctor., who took them back to the exam room. The older doctor looked up at a tall Kirito. His eyes were piercing, yet calm. The doctor hoped he wasn't some bandit.

"Now Mai, what would you like me to look for in his DNA test?"

"I'd like you to compare both of our DNAs to determine if he is my father."

The doctor sat back in his chair and put his hand to his chin.

"So that's why you asked about keeping it a secret. That would be one giant secret, but I'll do it." Mai bowed deeply.

"Thank you so much." Mai said with a sincere tone.

"Yeah, thanks."

The doctor looked at Kirito, then at his swords, which were leaned up against the wall next to him.

"You're that Kirito guy people talk about, right?"

"I am."

"Wow Mai! Your father's either a King or a hero."

"I'd pick the hero any day."

Mai looked over at Kirito and smiled. Kirito smiled back, but a wave of nervousness came over him. The doctor led them into the lab testing room. Inside were two chairs against the far wall. He said to have a seat while he prepared the test. They sat down, and the mood was very intense. Both were very nervous, and even the doctor felt a bit of sweat roll down his forehead. He took blood from the right arm of Kirito and the left arm of Mai so they didn't have to move. Both held onto their puncture wounds with the other hand and remained in silence, staring ahead. The doctor coughed suddenly and cause Mai to jump up a bit. He printed off the results and came over slowly. He pulled up a chair in front of them and put the two papers next to each other.

"This part of the DNA sequence for both of you match. This means that there is no doubt that Mai, he is your father."

Mai immediately turned and hugged Kirito while sobbing into his shoulder. The doctor gave Kirito the results, got up, and wiped the sweat from his forehead again.

"It's no charge Mai. You two take all the time you need here."

With that, the doctor left. Kirito looked down at the paper where the areas that matched were circled. He folded up the papers and put them in his pocket. Mai was still holding onto him. He sat back and just stared ahead. For what seemed like hours, he finally moved. He turned and finally returned the hug that Mai had been giving him the whole time. She began sobbing again and even Kirito shed a tear.

"I think we should go now, Mai."

She wiped her face. "Mmhmm"

They traveled in silence for most of the ride home. Mai talked about what jobs he would be doing at home and what their days normally consist of. They arrived at the house, and Mai ran ahead while Kirito got his things. She ran back saying that Asuna wasn't in and there was a note she went to get more supplies. Kirito was shown to his room. It was small, but neat and he really didn't care what it looked like. It would be a thousand times better than the barns, random inns, and caves he'd stayed in over the years. He decided to freshen up and go outside. Mai decided she was going to work around the garden to pass the time until Asuna returned. Kirito walked around the garden and took mental note of where everything was. The whole day had made him quite sleepy, so he decided to take a nap under the tree. He figured it'd only seem right to do this as according to Mai, napping under a tree was where he and Asuna first met. He had to go with it because if they were lying, it would take way too much effort to make that many lies. He laid down in the cool grass and looked around.

"Aaahh this is the life."

He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, smelling the air as the wind blew and hearing the quiet noises of the town nearby as the sun was starting to set behind them. Asuna arrived home and somehow didn't see the tree. She put the supplies away and noticed that it looked like Mai came home. She went out to the garden and saw Mai wiping her hands.

"Hi sweetie."

"Mom!" Mai ran over and hugged her tight. "You won't believe what happened! I found Dad and he agreed to go to the doctor and have a DNA test done and I told him everything I know about everything and the test said he was my dad and he agreed to work and stay here and..."

"Slow down Mai. Did you say he's here?"

"Yeah, he's under the tree. I told him about that too."

Mai pointed to the tree and Asuna looked over. She gasped as she saw him.

"Now we can be a family again!"

Asuna ran through the garden and weaved around crops, almost knocking over a few. She ran to him and stopped to see him looking so peaceful. She sat down on his left side, facing him, and leaned over to touch his face. Before she could, Kirito sat up quickly, grabbed Asuna by the waist and pulled her closer. Looking straight into her eyes he said,

"I'm home."

Asuna choked out. "Welcome home."

Kirito held her tighter and gave her a kiss. They kissed for a long time. Mai had since walked over to the fence of the garden and leaned on it, watching her parents finally reunite on happy terms. Asuna wiped the tears from her eyes and let go.

"I've missed you so much. I know you'll never know what our life was like before, but I have some pictures that I can show you so that maybe it'll help you put images with the stories."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you Asuna. I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to defeat the King and his guards and save us. Ever since I saw you, I've had such a crush on you. Maybe my subconscious still knew you and I never really lost my love for you."

Kirito blushed, which made Asuna blush. It was like they were teens again. Mai chimed in and let out a cheer, which made them blush more.

"You guys are so cute together! Let me get a picture."

Mai ran in and got the camera. She came back and took several pictures. Some posing, some not and loved every minute of it. Later that night, they all sat around the table for dinner. Asuna made Kirito's favorite stew, and that seemed to still be the same as he ate several helpings. After dinner, they sat around the fireplace and chatted. It was then that Kirito started talking about his plans to invade the castle. Both Asuna and Mai knew this was coming, but it still hit them hard knowing that they were going to take part in killing the King and possibly even kidnapping the Prince. Nevertheless, they both agreed to go with Kirito. He had been against them going at first, but they convinced him that with their knowledge of the area, it would be better to have everyone along. They decided to head out the next evening.


	8. Chapter 8

The group left their home at sundown the following evening. Their swords secured and their heads cleared, they decided that the best way to get to the castle was to take the demon infested woods just outside of town. If they were to march through town heavily armed as they were, surely someone at the castle would notice them. They crossed the barrier into the unknown with a collective calm that would leave most wondering if they knew what they were getting into. The area outside of town was wooded and had a stream running parallel to the barrier. This night had a full moon, so they would not need any light source. An hour passed without any trouble. Mai was very happy that they were about halfway there without any issues. Her heart raced as she trailed her parents. Both were walking with such an aura of power that she felt embarrassed she didn't exude the same presence as they did. She had rarely seen her mother in such a state, and she had from the very moment she saw her father, felt this presence constantly. He had that affect. With Kirito's tattoo, Mai was almost hoping for something to come so she could see them in action. The little incident arriving home was just a weakling. Kirito had jumped out of the cart and took it down before she even had time to react. She wanted to see her father's true power. They arrived at the crossing for the stream. Kirito took a look at the far bank and deemed it clear. He observed the current and looked back at the women.

"The stream looks a bit deep. That fallen tree should reach this side so you two can walk across. I'll go and position it."

The women nodded. Kirito nodded back and took off his coat. He faced Asuna.

"Can you carry my clothes over the stream for me?" His eyes were completely serious.

"Kirito!"

"What? I didn't bring a change of clothes. This is the best option to get all of us across."

"Mai, look away."

"Already on it."

Mai looked away, but curiosity took the best of her. She just wanted to see the tattoo again. It looked bold with thick black lines that swirled around most of his back. It was beautiful in a way. Kirito took off all of his clothes and gave them to Asuna. Asuna kept her composure and looked straight into his eyes with the same determination. Mai heard movement and looked behind her. Kirito was already to his hips in the stream. The moon showed bright on the water. She saw the tattoo again and was happy she looked at the right time. Kirito still had his sword in hand above his head. As he reached the other side, Mai turned again and waited. Kirito took a few chops at the tree and was able to push it over. It landed with a loud splash.

"Mai, I'll go first, you stay here for a moment and we'll let you know when you can cross."

"Ok"

Asuna walked slowly across the tree. She still got her boots wet, but they would dry quickly. She reached the end and greeted Kirito, who was holding the tree, with a smile. She gave him his clothes and he thanked her. Moments later, Mai was called. She turned around and began walking towards the tree. Just then, she saw several red eyes in the distance. She called out to Asuna, but both had already noticed and had drawn their swords. Three demons came into view. They immediately headed toward Asuna. Asuna yelled and raced towards the group. Kirito stepped in front of her and made one quick horizontal movement with his sword. The three demons shrieked and let out blood. The largest took his weapon and swung it at Kirito, making him step back as the club hit the ground and caused a large hole. Asuna saw that the two others took the moment to charge at her from both sides. She jumped up onto the tree and jumped again towards the closer demon. She hit its club and the blade cut into the club like butter. The club split and the sword went straight through to the demon's head, killing it instantly. Mai had watched the events unfold, but was holding onto the hilt of her sword with a trembling hand. This was not what she had expected. She thought they'd be low level demons that anyone could take out. The third demon saw Mai and jumped across the tree within seconds and put its club over its head, ready to strike. Both Kirito and Asuna looked back and called out to Mai. Mai, in the last moment, took out her sword, dodged the club, and sent the sword straight into the demon's neck. It fell over and Mai got a bit of blood on her clothes. She screamed and that caused Kirito to look back at the large demon, with renewed determination. Kirito dodged the demon's attack as well and stuck his sword into its stomach. As the demon fell to the ground, Kirito swung his sword up and beheaded the demon. Its head rolled into the stream and floated away. All three breathed heavily and looked around at each other, then to the area around them for any more enemies. When everything looked clear, Mai took a deep breath and crossed the stream. She passed her parents, who were looking at her with concerned eyes. She simply looked straight ahead and kept walking into the darkness of the woods. Asuna looked at Kirito with great interest. She noticed the concern in his eyes. She wondered if he would look like this if he didn't know who Mai was. She shook it off and put her hand on Kirito's arm. He looked over at Asuna, who was giving the best fake smile she could. Kirito pulled away from her hand and grabbed it just as Asuna slipped on a wet rock. He pulled her towards him and she crashed into his arms.

"Thank you."

Asuna was so happy to be in Kirito's embrace again that she had completely forgotten where she was. With her head down, she opened her eyes slightly. She could make out something dark and liquid heading towards their feet. She snapped into reality and saw the source of the dark liquid was the demon she had taken down with one swing. She pulled away from Kirito and muttered that they should move on. Kirito held out his hand to try and hold her again, but his hands only met air. She was already into the woods, where Mai had been there watching. They trekked silently through the woods until they finally came upon the castle walls. Kirito had decided the best way to go about getting inside the castle was to simply climb the wall. Asuna knew he'd climb the wall, so she had brought some gear for him to climb up it and then be able to secure the rope so the other two could climb up. Things went smoothly and they all arrived on the outer walkway. Kirito decided that he was going to storm the throne room and take out Sugou. Now in the castle, Kirito looked at them again. Their faces were still troubled, but he could tell they would still do their part of retrieving Kenji. Their stealth mode was going smoothly, until a guard that was covered by a shadow emerged. He recognized the former queen and princess right away and asked what they were doing. Everyone was startled as they thought he was going to yell out for more guards. Mai and Asuna sighed and tried to think of what to say. Kirito then spoke.

"We are here to kill the King."

The guards eyes widened and he opened his mouth to yell, but was hit in the head hard by Kirito and knocked out.

"Where is the throne room? He'll probably wake up soon."

Mai's eyes became darker.

"Why didn't you kill him father?"

"Mai!" Asuna whispered. With a monotone, Mai spoke again.

"We are fully prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure our victory. We cannot have weakness amongst the group or there will be errors."

"Mai, this is not like you. We don't need to..."

Kirito put his arm up in front of Asuna, causing her to stop talking. Kirito looked straight at Mai. He took out his sword and Asuna gulped. In a faint voice, she merely breathed.

"No..."

Kirito pointed the blade at Mai.

"Are you prepared to take a human life with your sword? It's easy to take down a demon, but true weakness is believing that simply killing will pave the way to victory."

"Isn't the reason that we're here is to kill the King? How will killing him not pave the way to victory?"

"Sugou has done too much wrong to ever make it right. These guards are merely doing their job. We may have to fight them, but only as a last resort."

Mai just sighed and looked out at the night sky.

"i just wanted to see what kind of man you are now."

Mai smiled and Asuna smiled back. Kirito lowered his sword and calmly asked.

"Please show me where the throne room is. I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible so we can start our lives together."

Asuna and Mai led Kirito to an area near the throne room. They split off with barely a word as the two women headed towards Kenji, while Kirito headed for the throne room.


	9. Chapter 9

The door to the darkened throne room opened. The King is leaned back in the throne with a glass of red wine, gazing menacingly into the glass as if it were his next victim. The heavy wooden doors give a large creaking noise as Kirito steps through. To Sugou he is simply a silhouette. Sugou sits up straight,

"Who goes there? How dare you enter my throne room without introduction."

Kirito, still masked in the darkness, head slightly lowered, closes the door slowly behind him.

"Who are you?!"

Sugou calls out again, to no response. Sugou gets up from his throne and searches for a light. He finds a lamp to turn on and swings it around. Kirito is mere feet away. His face barely illuminated by the soft light. His eyes are piercingly dark and he shows no expression.

"You!" Sugou yells for the guards, but they do not come. He looks back to Kirito, teeth clenched. "What have you done?!"

Sugou takes out his sword and lunges towards Kirito. Kirito side steps and dodges the attack. He then quickly steps up to Sugou's right side and grabs the hilt of the sword. He then pulls back, causing the blade to run over Sugou's hand. The sword cuts Sugou and he lets go of the blade. Sugou groans and runs back to his throne where he can call for backup. Holding Sugou's sword, Kirito knocks Sugou down, causing him to be sitting in the throne. With one swift movement, Kirito stabs Sugou through the abdomen and the other end of the sword ends up piercing the throne, causing Sugou to be stuck sitting in his throne. Sugou coughs up blood and curses. Kirito finally speaks.

"I will never get this memory erased." Sugou chokes on his words, then goes limp.

Back in another part of the castle, Asuna and Mai have infiltrated the Prince's area by wearing heavy guard's armor. Kenji is preparing his sword and looks around to see the guards.

"What's going on? Are we being attacked?"

Asuna takes off her helmet to reveal herself and simply replies, "no."

"Mother!" Mai then removes her helmet. "Mai! What are you doing here? We're under attack. It's not safe here."

"That's why we're here Kenji. We're here to take you out of the castle. your real father is with us and the four of us can live together to the north and have a normal, simple life together."

With his head down slightly, he looks up at Asuna.

"Why would I want to do that?"

Asuna and Mai were taken aback by this.

"Why wouldn't you want to be with us Kenji?"

"I believe I've told you several times I'd like to stay here. I have no need to be in such a place when I am in a position to rule this entire kingdom. I never met Mr. Kirigaya, so to me he is simply just another member of the kingdom. Besides, if I left, the council would know where to look and they'd have many Knights come after me. It would be hard on all of us." Kenji paused. "You three leave and don't come back unless you're summoned here by me. I'll do what I can, but I don't want you to be targeted. I'll keep in touch. Please, let go." Mai began tearing up and Asuna took the last of her strength and hugged Kenji. He hugged back slowly. Mai joined in as best she could in the armor. As they were hugging, Kirito came slowly in through the doors. The light was dim and his face looked like he was going to attack anything that came in contact with him. He walked towards them, and slowly took out his sword from its sheath on his back.

"Dad, no!" Mai yelled out.

Kenji looked at Kirito in shock. He couldn't get to his sword in time. He didn't know if Kirito was going to take everyone down in one sweep or just duel with him. Kirito took the blade and stabbed it into the floor hard, causing it to stand up straight in the floor. He looked up and stared right into Kenji's eyes.

"There are many demons out there, some human and some not. This is to keep them from troubling your kingdom, my King."

Kenji was struck with an emotion he couldn't explain. It was a mix of love, pride, sadness, anger, resentment, and hope. Kirito looked at Asuna.

"Come on, we should get out of here."

Asuna nodded and squeezed Kenji once more. Mai followed and told Kenji to make sure to stay in touch. Kenji nodded and put his hand on the sword. He then looked at his father, who was now smiling and handed him the sheath.

"I promise to use this sword to protect the kingdom. You can count on it!"

Kirito nodded and turned away. The three of them walked out and Kenji was left in the large room alone. Suddenly, the room felt colder and more empty than he'd ever felt.


	10. Chapter 10

**Year 28 - June**

Kenji had found Sugou . He repositioned the body and cleaned up so it looked like Sugou had killed himself. The council bought the story and figured he was too overwhelmed with the threat of attack that he felt he had no other choice. Kenji was named King and many secretly rejoiced at the change of power, including the Kirigaya household. Kenji made a point to visit the villages as much as he could. When he came to North Aincrad, he would make sure to make a stop by to see his parents, his sister, and his nephew. Mai in the years following had moved to a nearby house and had married a local boy that she had known for years. They had one son, whom they named Kirito. Her dad loved that she named her son after his nickname. He even called him Kirito 2. On this day, Kenji arrived at the house to see Kirito, Asuna, and Mai laying down under the tree. Having been told the stories long ago, Kenji took the opportunity and laid down next to his father. Kirito opened his eyes and glanced over. Kenji returned the gaze and chuckled. They both closed their eyes and relaxed under the tree. Mai's husband saw this little arrangement and decided to take a picture. He printed the picture and put it in the center of the photo board everyone had been adding to over the years in the house. Kirito opened his eyes and looked over at Asuna. She was already looking at him and smiled. They held each others' hands and returned their gaze to the early summer sky. They wished the day would never end.


End file.
